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Jake Green (36) is running away from a number of Falcons’ defenders. Courtesy of Brian Taylor.
Combs Homecoming King and Queen – Coda McLaws (Lt) and Nikki Ruiz (Rt).
Kelli Luberda | Ledger
QUEEN CREEK
Boys’ Golf– The No. 10-ranked Bulldogs played for the Division II State Championship on Nov. 2-3 at Randolph North Golf Course in Tucson. The Bulldogs were one of four teams from Section IV – Seton Catholic, Campo Verde, and Williams Field – to qualify for the state tournament.
Head coach Mark Underwood believes the regular-season competition with the other Section IV teams will benefit his team at the tournament.
A total of 96 golfers competed earlier this week with 75 of them from one of 15 teams that earned automatic or at-large berths. The remaining golfers represented the top 21 individuals not on a qualifying team.
Five Bulldogs’ golfers competed for Queen Creek, including Gabe Salvanera (Fr), Jarrett Fultz (Fr), Chris Heath (Fr), Bryson Gwilliam (Jr), Connor Duyck (Jr). Salvanera (16) is the highest ranked Bulldogs’ golfer, according to the AIA individual rankings.
Girls’ Golf– The No. 13-ranked Bulldogs played for the Division II State Championship on Nov. 2-3 at Dell Urich Golf Course in Tucson. The Bulldogs were one of three teams from Section IV – Higley and Skyline – to qualify for the state tournament.
A total of 96 golfers competed earlier this week with 75 of them from one of 15 teams that earned automatic or at-large berths. The remaining golfers represented the top 21 individuals not on a qualifying team.
Five Bulldogs’ golfers competed for Queen Creek, including Taryn Simmons, Victoria Barbari, Jessica King, Madison Norris, and Baylee Blanchette. Simmons (23) is the highest ranked Bulldogs’ golfer, according to the AIA individual rankings.
COMBS
Girls’ Golf– Hannah Brown, who is ranked No. 38, according to the AIA individual rankings, qualified for the Division II State Championship. The event took place on Nov. 2-3 at Dell Urich Golf Course in Tucson.
A total of 96 golfers competed earlier this week with 75 of them from one of 15 teams that earned automatic or at-large berths. The remaining golfers represented the top 21 individuals not on a qualifying team, which included Brown.
Football– Knowing it needed to win to have any chance at making the state playoffs; the Combs football team took care of its end, steamrolling Fountain Hills on Homecoming and Senior Night last Friday, 50 – 7.
Saturday, during the AIA Playoff Selection Show, the Yotes were rewarded with the No. 15 seed in the 16-team Division IV Playoff bracket. They’ll play at No. 2-seed Show Low on Saturday in a rematch of a game played on Sept. 25, a 49 – 22 Cougars’ victory.
Senior running back Jake Green rushed for 133 of the Yotes’ 383 rushing yards and scored three touchdowns in the win against Fountain Hills. Senior quarterback Ethan Hunt threw for a touchdown and ran for another. Senior receiver Dalton Lupton was on the receiving end of Hunt’s scoring pass. Josh Espinoza, a senior, rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown.
Senior defensive end Coda McLaws, who was named Homecoming King at halftime, led the Yotes’ defense with 10 tackles. Todd Goodman-Schweikart, also a senior, added eight tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery. Lupton and Fide Quirarte each had an interception in the win.
The Yotes held an opposing team to seven points or less for the third time in their five wins.
SAN TAN FOOTHILLS
Football– The Sabercats sent off 13 seniors in style with a 48 – 6 victory in the season finale against San Carlos on Senior Night last Friday.
The Cats scored 48 unanswered points during the game’s first three quarters before the Braves scored in the fourth quarter to avoid the shutout.
Head coach John Sanders started the season in haste due to accepting the position late, which was proceeded by a difficult transition involving other coaching individuals.
Despite the early season turmoil, Sanders and the Cats finished a respectable 4 – 5 on the season, which included a 4 – 1 record at home.
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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